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The One Where The Cake Ignites by ~jack-cade:iconjack-cade:





Phoebe is in Central Perk with Ross.
Ross is writing a poem to Rachel,
unlikely as this may seem. Phoebe
listens to him recite it, then Chandler
walks in on the last few lines: “And Joey
is a noey like Hannukah with Monica,

so you see, you’re left with me.” “Monica
and Hannukah?” says Chandler. “Gee, Ross,
I thought you quit poetry.” (Titles) Joey,
elsewhere, is cooking with Rachel.
They’re baking a birthday cake for Chandler.
Joey’s idea. They’re counting on Phoebe

to keep him stalled. So, naturally, Phoebe
tells Chandler to write a poem for Monica.
“It’s Phoebe’s poetry workshop!” Chandler
relents, but writes four lines for Ross:
“Oh Ross/So cross/Becoss/Of Rachel.”
Monica arrives in the flat to find Joey

and Rachel cooking. She screams. Joey
belts her - she falls unconscious. Phoebe
senses violence, contacts Rachel
psychically. “Something just happened to Monica!”
Chandler’s ode has riled Ross.
He demands satisfaction from Chandler,

produces two pistols, whereupon Chandler
makes like a tree, scarpers. Joey
drags Monica into the cupboard. “Ross
and Chandler’ll kill you!” says Rachel. Phoebe
goes after Chandler - the fate of Monica
weighs on her heart. She wails as Rachel

wails. The cake is aflame! “God, Rachel!”
Joey throws his arms up. “Chandler
can’t eat fire. You’re as bad as Monica.”
Rachel scowls and pouts at Joey.
Chandler’s a stairwell away, with Phoebe
in hot pursuit. Behind her, Ross.

Rachel and Joey fight with whisks.
Chandler and Phoebe burst in. There’s a face off.
Ross arrives, firing both pistols. Monica explodes.
©2005-2009 ~jack-cade
:iconjack-cade:

Author's Comments

This is a sestina, written primarily to submit to McSweeney's, but also with my sci-fi/poem cross-genre pollination in mind. It's an episode of Friends where everything is a little abnormal.

Daily Deviation

Given 2006-08-04

It's hard to imagine a more natural treatment of the sestina than The One Where The Cake Ignites by ~jack-cade. Great fun. (Suggested by ~kingvitamin and Featured by `PoeticWar)

Comments


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:iconkingvitamin:
it falters a bit in the sixth stanza as sestinas are wont to do but i was surprised that you weren't able to keep better control of it with such a clever choice of words.

--
pH 3.7
:iconjack-cade:
It was more difficult than I thought, partly because I have two scenes going on, and found that the rules had me switching between them within a line. I actually felt more in control by the sixth, when the threads are drawing together, and the cake is finally aflame, than earlier on. Perhaps I had simply grown more careless.

Thanks for your comment, and the fave!

--
Fuselit - pocket poetry and art, made with love and diligence!

Roundtable Review - reviews, articles and new writing in poetry, fiction, film, art and stage.
:iconfleet21:
Holy moly.
Inventive as ever. That's one of the first words to jump to my mind upon describing your work. You've always been an imaginative and unusal kind of writer buts always showing total control.

This is no exception. It's clever, funny (the last line especially had me howling) and just demonstrates your command of English.

Bloody good work!

--
:bulletred: SutureHQ :bulletblue:
Thyme two right.
:icongunshymartyr:
My girlfriend is making sit through each and every episode of Friends. I believe we have three seasons left.

I found this amusing. I don't pretend to be a poet, so I can't offer any other feedback other than I liked this. It was quirky, yet I got the impression it had a little bite behind the smiles.

Thanks for this.

--
I'm not a writer, I just play one on deviantArt.
:iconjack-cade:
Cheers, Gunshy! Yeah, there's a slight cattiness to it. 'Friends' is OK - it could be a lot worse - but I think this sestina betrays a wish for US sitcoms to be a little less cosy and comfortable.

--
Fuselit - pocket poetry and art, made with love and diligence!

Roundtable Review - reviews, articles and new writing in poetry, fiction, film, art and stage.
:iconbananaprincess:
It has been on McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and now it's a DD. This sestina is taking over the world! :)

I think I mentioned this to you before, but this one was my favorite on McSweeney's. You have so much fun with and within the structure of the poem.

--
Critiquing someone's prose or poetry is an awesome thing to do.
:star:The supremely awesome Mimesis 3 is available now!
:iconnewbie-387:
Now I'm confused. Was this an actual episode?

--
Accept that others are not like you; Bring them into your arms and embrace them as if of your kin.
:gallery:
:iconzebrazebrazebra:
For the first time ever, I wish I had ever seen Friends. Just so I could get this properly. =(
:iconclickypenpixiexstock:
o_O. wtf.
that completely confused the crap out of me.
:iconinamorata-smile:
:lol: this is like ~O A w e S o M e O~ !!!eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

--
Pray to God when it is not time

Details

December 8, 2005
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